Piicking up the Pieces
by RavenChristina
Summary: “I’ve always been near you. Time and again we’ve found each other. That’s how it is.” Silver Millennium to Crystal Tokyo, Dino and Hotaru belonged together. Story Six of The Aisheritu Cycle.


Picking up the Pieces

By

Raven Aryana

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Disclaimer: I no own Sailor Moon. Just Dinorion/Dino, ok?

Summary: "I've always been near you. Time and again we've found each other. That's how it is." Silver Millennium to Crystal Tokyo, Dino and Hotaru belonged together. Story Six of the Aisheritu Cycle

Rating: T (implied sexual activity)

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Hotaru looked out over the sea of Persephone, the water glowing with a silver tint from the light of the moon Titan. Water always calmed her, no matter what was going on. However it seemed the water could not calm the raging emotions that now swirled in her heart.

Trails of kohl makeup slid down her face and her tears mingled with the saltwater as she thought of an arranged marriage to that… pig her mother called a prince. She had sprung the news to her along with an introduction to her intended on her sixteenth birthday of all times. _Some birthday present,_ she thought bitterly. Oh, why couldn't she be like Princess Serenity and choose her fiancé?

She sighed and put her head in her hands, her petite shoulders shaking with fresh sobs as she thought of her beloved. He had been there when her mother had made the announcement, as had the rest of the royals of the solar system. _Dear Diana, what will he say?_

It was then she heard boots crunching on the gravel path that led to the seashore. The boots were removed, probably placed next to her purple suede boots, and she listened to the soft footfalls on the sandy beach. He now stood behind her, so she inhaled a shaky breath and said, "What are you doing here?"

"You disappeared after the announcement. Everyone is trying to find you, especially your…" he hesitated on the word, and then spat it out like venom, "fiancé."

She stood and whirled around, facing Dinorion with her violet eyes blazing. "Do you think I had any choice in the matter? It's not as if I planned this! I had no idea this was going to happen!"

"Well you don't seem to want to do anything to stop it. You would rather have him over me!" Dinorion accused, his midnight-blue eyes indicating his hurt, "maybe you hid your engagement from me because you're ashamed of our love!" his voice lowered and he whispered for her to hear, "perhaps you truly don't love me."

The eighteen-year old young man turned away and Hotaru stood there trembling with anger, her fist clenched at her sides. After a moment he heard her voice, low and stinging with pain.

"How dare you. How dare you say that to me! Why do you think I would ever love that… that pompous son of a bitch they have the nerve to give a title to? How dare you say that when you know I love you, and only you? You are the one I have shared my heart with! I've pledged my soul to you! Not only that, I've welcomed you into my bed as my first, my lover! Yet you claim that I do not love you?" her voice cracked with emotion as she continued; "I love you, Dinorion. Why do you doubt me?"

Dinorion was watching at her now, tears filling his eyes. He bit his lip and looked down at the ground. When he turned his face to hers, he murmured, "Oh Hotaru, I'm… I'm sorry. I thought… I thought…" he held open his arms, and she ran into them, sobbing into the folds of his shirtsleeve. He buried his face into her neck, trembling as he continued. "I know you love me. I know you do, but when your mother said you were getting married… I panicked…"

"Why do we have to hide it? Why can't we tell everyone?" Hotaru asked, pulling away from him and looking into those midnight-blue eyes she loved. "Let's go back and announce we're in love… Then maybe my mother will cancel my engagement."

Dinorion wrinkled his brow in thought, and then he smiled. "I've got a better idea." He promptly got down on one knee and chuckled, "I was going to do this later but now seems more appropriate." He reached into his pocket and took out a silver ring with an amber jewel on it. "Hotaru, will you marry me?"

She nodded. He slipped the ring onto her finger and kissed her slowly in a chaste touch of lips. Then they turned and went in the direction of the Hotaru royal palace. They had an announcement to make.

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Hotaru closed the door to her room and laughed quietly as she remembered the look on her former fiancé's face when she announced she was already engaged. It had turned a queer shade of red, then purple as he stormed out of the hall, his father following him and telling her mother the contract was off.

She hadn't expected her mother's reaction, but it was rather perfect. She had been more than happy to call off the engagement and heartily welcomed Dinorion as her future son-in-law. Dinorion's father had been ecstatic as well, promptly calling for an impromptu engagement party. As servants scurried around hurriedly fetching food and wine, the royals from the other systems had been awoken and congratulations were in order. However, for Hotaru the real joy in the matter came from her friends.

Mercury had given her best wishes shyly and blushed when she saw the ring on Hotaru's finger. Mars promised she would marry them when she completed her training as priestess and threatened Dinorion she would hurt him if he messed up before the wedding. Venus promptly said she would help Hotaru pick a dress (Hotaru had declined politely) and she would help the decorator (she didn't notice the wince on Dinorion's face). Jupiter had congratulated the both of them, smiling widely and shaking both of their hands firmly. Uranus and Neptune had given the name of the planner they had hired for their coming wedding. The best part of it though, was when Pluto came up, wrapped her in a hug and said, "I've always wanted a little sister."

The spur-of-the-moment party had gone for two hours until her mother had noticed that her daughter was dozing off and excused her from the table. Dinorion had stayed behind (giving her a gentle passionate kiss that she knew meant he would come to her bedroom later on) to plan some details with their parents.

By now she had changed out of her dress, corset and chemise and slipped on a purple silk robe with her initials embroidered on the chest pocket. She wiped the smudges of makeup off her face, and then twisted her up into a bun. As she put the hairpin in, the doorknob clicked open and Dinorion stepped into the room. She turned and looked at him in the light of the oil lamps. His eyes held his love for her, but then…

Said eyes trailed over her body, taking in her appearance. They looked up into hers and she gasped inwardly (as she always did) when she saw the desire writ in them. Without a word he strode toward her removing his cloak and jacket with restrained calm. When he reached her in front of her vanity she stood up and met his lips with hers. As the kiss continued she unfastened the buttons on his shirt; exposing his hot skin to her touch as he undid her hair, letting it falls onto her shoulders. His shirt hit the floor with a soft thud as he loosened the tie to her robe, slid it off and brought his mouth to her neck gently sucking on the skin there. After a moment he lifted her up and carried her to her bed. He laid her down and quietly removed his breeches joining her on the bed.

Dinorion smiled and looked down at her hand, the amber jewel winking at him in the lamplight. He whispered, "That was my mother's ring. My father gave it to her when they were first betrothed. It was her grandmother's, and she gave it to him when he asked for permission to marry Mother. I think she'd be happy knowing that it's being worn by someone whom I love with my whole heart."

Hotaru smiled back, "Me too." She pulled him to her and kissed him feverishly, rubbing herself against his body. He moaned into her mouth as her hands raked his shoulders, leaving scratches on his skin.

He rolled her over and broke the kiss, smiling slowly as he lowered his head to her ear and whispered, "I hope, dear princess, that you allow me to make love to you like this for the rest of our lives…"

"I plan on it…" Hotaru murmured back, gasping as his hands trailed down her body…

Three weeks before the wedding the Negaverse attacked and the Moon Kingdom fell.

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Dino pulled his scarlet cloak tighter around him to fight against the chilling night air. He gazed out over the city and smiled when he caught sight of the Crystal Tower. The beacons would be lit soon, and he would have to make his appearance at the ball. He didn't really want to. He'd had to fill in that day as a negotiator since Rei was in Spain at the time. He was the only one among them besides her who could speak Arabic, and had been requested to help. It had been such a trying and long day that he'd had to get away, even it was for a few minutes.

_Things were much easier,_ he mused as he picked a daisy by his foot and stroked the petals, _when the city was newer, and I didn't have to bother with diplomats and such. I could just spend the day looking over my texts and translating to my heart's content._

There was a rustle, and he looked up to see his wife standing and watching him, resplendent in a low neckline black dress, her violet cloak around her slim form. A white jasmine comb resided in her hair, and she looked beautiful.

"Wow." He breathed out softly, and despite herself, Hotaru blushed. Even after all this time Dino's comments could make her blush like she was a teenager all over again.

"Thanks." She said as she walked over to where he was and sat beside him. "Rough day?" she asked gently as she took the flower from him and began to pluck the petals off.

He nodded, "Remind me again why I wanted to become a linguist?"

"Because," she replied as the last petal drifted off in the evening breeze, "It's what you love to do, and you're good at it."

He grumbled, "But that doesn't mean I always like what I do. Why can't they just learn Esperanto and be done with it? I still think that Serenity should just make it the official language so Rei and I won't have to deal with diplomats and negotiations."

Hotaru smiled and turned to her husband, putting a flower in his buttonhole, "Because she needed you."

"But she doesn't always need me!"

"But when she does, it's to help her. You know that."

Dino grumbled, "Things were easier when I didn't have to deal with all that. Back before we even built the city."

Hotaru raised an eyebrow at him, "If I remember correctly, you had no time for your work because we were leading the troops in the outer system. The Sailor Wars, remember? Or did you happen to forget the nights we spent in rain-filled foxholes?"

He sheepishly shrugged, "ok, ok, so that doesn't really count. It's not like you have any time to work on your book when you're the minister of arts and have to deal with the new art programs in the schools."

His wife let out an exasperated sigh, "Dinorion, that's beside the point!"

He winced at the tone of her voice and the use of his given name. _Uh-oh._ He was in for it now. She continued, "look, we swore the day the war ended and we signed the treaties that we would to our best to build up this city to become a shining example of our kingdom. True, the Black Moon family didn't help at all, and neither did Galaxia, but we pick up where we left off. And look at where we are now: there's peace in the Middle East, the planets are under the Moon seal again, and not only that we've re-established the Moon Palace, of which Chibiusa is to rule. Kinmoku is our ally, and we have other allies throughout the systems. We've done everything we've dreamed of and more. We've got a bit longer to go, but we're working towards it. We've become an example that our parents in the Silver Millennium would be proud of. And your little help with the diplomats helped us get one step closer to what we've always dreamed of and fought for. Think about it."

Dino had watched her throughout her entire tirade, his eyes shining with affection and mirth. "Ready to get off your soapbox and go to the ball? We're going to be late."

Hotaru blushed a bright red and glared at her husband as he laughed and stood, helping her up. "I have a point."

"I know love. I know. You should write that down; I'm sure the newspapers would love it." He chuckled. When she didn't join him, the smile disappeared. "Love? What's wrong?"

She looked down at the ground and then back up at him. "You know… it's also a wonderful place to raise children now."

Suddenly there was lump of joy in Dino's throat. He swallowed hard as she continued, "especially with such a wonderful and caring man as you are… for a father."

"You mean…?"

Hotaru nodded. He jumped forward and swung her into his arms spinning her around in happiness. "Oh Taru! I can't believe it!" he set her down on the ground and kissed her, then pulled away and asked, "when?"

"January."

"Boy or girl? Or did Ami tell you?"

"Boy."

Dino could hardly contain the tears streaming down his face, he was so happy. "Oh Hotaru… I love you."

"I know." She said softly, gazing into the eyes she loved. After a moment, she smiled. "Well, we'd better be off. We have an announcement to make, don't we?"

Dino held out his arm to her, she took it, and the two strolled down the hill, the lights of Crystal Tokyo winking at them in the darkening evening sky.

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This does take place in the "Aisheritu" Cycle, although it's a bit out of the timeline. I'm

working on an AU Dino/Hotaru story; expect that up soon. Later guys!

9/4/2006 5:04 PM


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